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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 120 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: club · chair · branch · bass · season · scale · court · vault

  1. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. The ball is in your ________________.
  4. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  18. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. Did you ________________ the meat?
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. court — for sport
  4. court — of a king
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. season — of the year
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. chair — to sit on
  11. scale — in music
  12. court — of law
  13. club — a group
  14. club — for dancing
  15. branch — a division
  16. bass — low music
  17. chair — a leader
  18. chair — a professorship
  19. vault — a safe
  20. club — for golf
  21. bass — the fish
  22. season — in sport
  23. season — to add flavour
  24. scale — size or range

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com